Dighton approves funds for highway garage cleanup at special TM

Voters approved every article presented at Thursday’s special Town Meeting, the majority of them unanimously. With the approval of Article 26, more than $263,000 will be transferred from free cash to help pay for the ongoing cleanup of contaminated materials at the Dighton Highway Garage.

By Christopher Nichols

The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

By Christopher Nichols

Posted Nov. 30, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 30, 2012 at 5:25 PM

By Christopher Nichols

Posted Nov. 30, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 30, 2012 at 5:25 PM

DIGHTON

» Social News

Voters approved every article presented at Thursday’s special Town Meeting, the majority of them unanimously.

With the approval of Article 26, more than $263,000 will be transferred from free cash to help pay for the ongoing cleanup of contaminated materials at the Dighton Highway Garage.

After initial contaminants were discovered in the southeastern corner of the property, a total of six underground storage tanks were unearthed — two in the southeastern corner and four in the front of the garage.

The two tanks in the southeastern corner have been removed, along with the contaminated soil, and the tanks in the front of the garage will likely be removed in the coming weeks.

Testing will have to be done on the soil around the tanks to determine if contaminated soil has to be removed, and how much.

“We don’t know if this is the end of it,” said Finance Committee Chairman Edward Swartz, adding that voters may be asked to appropriate or transfer more money before the cleanup is completed.

Swartz also said the town is looking for ways to recoup some of the money spent on the cleanup, such as grants, although nothing substantial has become available yet.

The most discussed article of the night was Article 15, where voters approved re-entry into the Bristol-Plymouth Regional School District.

Residents raised questions about the cost of attending Bristol-Plymouth and whether or not Dighton students would still have the opportunity to attend Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School if they choose.

As far as costs, Dighton would be charged a per student assessment as determined by the state at Bristol-Plymouth, as opposed to a flat tuition.

Rehoboth, Selectman Thomas Pires noted, pays less to send its students to Bristol-Plymouth after recently being accepted into the district, and traditionally, Rehoboth is charged a higher state assessment than Dighton.

“I can tell you it’s a substantial savings for our kids to go to Bristol-Plymouth,” Pires said.

Dighton students will also have the opportunity to attend Tri-County only if they are looking to study a program that is not offered at Bristol-Plymouth, Dighton-Rehoboth or Bristol County Agricultural High School.

Dighton’s re-entry into the district is still subject to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Bristol-Plymouth School Committee, although Bristol-Plymouth Superintendent Richard Gross said Dighton will likely be re-admitted in a similar manner to Rehoboth.

Voters also created an Industrial Overlay district with the unanimous approval of articles 6 and 7, and established General Bylaws on littering fees, false alarm security activation fees for repeat offenders and prohibiting door-to-door solicitation and selling agents.

Dighton resident Patrick Menges spoke against the bylaw regarding door-to-door solicitation and selling agents, saying people trying to make a living in these tough economic times “should be left alone.”

Page 2 of 2 - The bylaw allowed exceptions for hawkers and peddlers and a number of other organizations upon registering with the Chief of Police.

Grange Hall will also be receiving new heating system after the approval of using $11,000 from the Community Preservation Fund for that purpose.

Article 28 — requesting $26,656 for additional funding for the police department — did not receive a motion and was not acted on.

In total, the Special Town Meeting about $392,000 from free cash, dropping the town’s free cash amount from about $542,000 to about $150,000, according to Swartz.